The Big Challenge
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = The Big Challenge
| type = Studio
| cover = The Big Challenge.jpg
| alt =
| released = 1957
| recorded = April 30 and May 7, 1957
| venue =
| studio = Webster Hall, New York City
| genre = Jazz
| length = 37:23
| label = Jazztone
J 1268
| producer = George T. Simon
| chronology = Rex Stewart
| prev_title = Dixieland Free-for-All
| prev_year = 1956
| next_title = Rendezvous with Rex
| next_year = 1958
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Cootie Williams
| type = studio album
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| title = The Big Challenge
| year = 1957
| next_title = Cootie Williams in Hi-Fi
| next_year = 1958
}}
}}
The Big Challenge is an album by trumpeter Cootie Williams and cornetist Rex Stewart, recorded in 1957 and released on the Jazztone label.[https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/2016/07/28/50s-record-clubs-jazztone/ London Jazz Collector: American 50’s Record Clubs: Jazztone], accessed December 4, 2018
Reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{rating|4.5|5}}
}}
Scott Yanow of AllMusic states, "a fun and unusual Jazztone session. Six distinctive and very different veterans were teamed together ... the unique matchups are very successful. Each of the musicians has an opportunity to be featured and the tradeoffs are quite memorable. A colorful gem.".{{allMusic|first=Scott|last=Yanow|class=album|id= mw0000694950 |title=Cootie Williams: The Big Challenge – Review|accessdate= December 4, 2018}}
Track listing
- "I'm Beginning to See the Light" (Duke Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges, Harry James) – 6:06
- "Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me" (Ellington, Bob Russell) – 4:07
- "Alphonse and Gaston" (Ernie Wilkins) – 8:29
- "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues" (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) – 4:09
- "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" (Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk) – 4:42
- "When Your Lover Has Gone" (Einar Aaron Swan) – 5:08
- "I Knew You When" (Rex Stewart) – 4:42
- Recorded at Webster Hall in NYC on April 30 (tracks 1-3) and May 6 (tracks 4-7), 1957
Personnel
References
{{reflist}}
{{Cootie Williams}}
{{Rex Stewart}}
{{Authority control}}
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